HOUSTON, JANUARY 9, 2026 ― At The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , research breakthroughs are made possible through seamless collaboration between the institution's world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. The studies below showcase the latest advances in cancer care, research and prevention.
Immunotherapy before and after surgery improved outcomes in lung cancer patients with lymph node metastases
Read the full release | Read the study in Nature Cancer
An exploratory analysis of the CheckMate 77T trial showed that adding immunotherapy before and after surgery (perioperative) improved outcomes over pre-surgical (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy alone for certain patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with or without lymph node metastases (N2). This suggests N2 status does not pose a treatment challenge for these patients and provides evidence supporting perioperative nivolumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy as a potentially effective therapeutic strategy. The study was led by Tina Cascone, M.D., Ph.D. , associate professor of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology .
"It's encouraging that patients with N2 non-small cell lung cancer – who are often considered challenging to treat – can still benefit from this multidisciplinary approach," Cascone said. "Our findings add to growing evidence that this treatment regimen may be a safe and effective option for individuals with operable non-small cell lung cancer, regardless of nodal status."
Dual-antigen targeting of large B-cell lymphoma shows promise in reducing relapse
Read the full release | Read the study in Nature Cancer
Researchers observed a reduction in relapses among patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy targeting CD19, plus rituximab, an antibody that targets CD20. The Phase II trial was led by Paolo Strati, M.D. , associate professor of Lymphoma .
"Our study demonstrated the therapeutic benefit of targeting two antigens when treating large B-cell lymphoma," Strati said. "The combination of axi-cel and rituximab produced deep and durable responses without introducing new safety concerns."
Higher bacteria levels inside tumors can promote immunotherapy resistance in head and neck cancer
Read the full release | Read the study in Nature Cancer
Higher amounts of bacteria inside tumors can drive immunosuppression and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The study, published in Nature Cancer and co-led by Renata Ferrarotto, M.D. , professor of Thoracic/Head & Neck Medical Oncology , showed that increasing the amount of bacteria in lab models and in tumor samples of HNSCC led to immunotherapy resistance, regardless of the species of bacteria tested.
"We now have key evidence that the abundance of bacteria is a driver of tumor microenvironment remodeling and immunosuppression," Ferrarotto said. "While more studies are needed, this could eventually help clinicians identify patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment and, in other patients, control the use of antibiotics to reduce the intratumoral bacteria load."
Immunotherapy combination does not improve outcomes for patients with advanced anal cancer
Read the full release | Read the study in Journal of Clinical Oncology
A multicenter Phase II study found that combining the immunotherapies ipilimumab and nivolumab did not improve outcomes over nivolumab alone for patients with refractory metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal. The study builds on earlier findings from the NCI9673 (Part A) trial, also led at MD Anderson, which established nivolumab as an active immunotherapy option for this difficult-to-treat patient population. This cohort evaluated whether dual checkpoint blockade therapy could further enhance anti-tumor activity. The study was led by Van Morris, M.D. , associate professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology .
"With 100 patients enrolled, this study represents one of the most comprehensive efforts to rigorously evaluate immunotherapy in metastatic anal cancer," Morris said. "Checkpoint inhibition remains a promising therapy, and our findings show we must continue to pursue new strategies."
Mutation predicts chemotherapy resistance and better responses to immunotherapy in advanced bladder cancer
Read the full release | Read the study in Nature Communications
Researchers found that mutations in the KDM6A gene – common in advanced bladder cancer – may serve as a predictive biomarker to determine which patients are less likely to benefit from standard chemotherapy but may respond better to immunotherapy . This study, led by Sangeeta Goswami, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and assistant member of the James P. Allison Institute™ , underscores the potential for integrating genomic testing into bladder cancer care treatment.
"Our goal is to move beyond one-size-fits-all treatments," Goswami said. "KDM6A gives us a clinically actionable signal and one that may spare patients from ineffective treatment and improve outcomes."
High levels of protein drive tumor immune suppression in head and neck cancer
Read the full release | Read the study in Nature Communications
A novel tumor suppressor, BATF2, can be silenced by factors in the tumor microenvironment, leading to a reduced immune response in five preclinical models of head and neck cancer . The study, led by Yu Leo Lei, D.D.S., Ph.D. , associate professor of Head and Neck Surgery , Cancer Biology and Translational Molecular Pathology , demonstrates that glutamine in the tumor microenvironment can cause epigenetic silencing of BATF2, which affects the STING signaling pathway and overall immune response.
"The canonical tumor suppressors are frequently mutated or lost at the genetic level. Emerging evidence highlights the importance of a new type of tumor suppressor that is not frequently mutated but is epigenetically inhibited by unique metabolic cues in the tumor microenvironment," Lei said. "This study characterizes a novel oral cancer tumor suppressor that drives immune surveillance but is inhibited by high levels of glutamine."
Researchers identify Rb1 as a predictive biomarker for a new therapeutic strategy in some breast cancers
Read the full release | Read the study in Science Translational Medicine
A new study details a therapeutic vulnerability in patients with an aggressive subtype of triple-negative breast cancer. Led by Khandan Keyomarsi, Ph.D., professor of Experimental Radiation Oncology , the study shows that simultaneous inhibition of ATR and PKMYT1 triggers a type of cell death in Rb1deficient breast cancer models. Using genomic profiling, proteomics and patient-derived xenografts, the researchers found that loss of Rb1 – a gene important for normal cell division – disrupts DNA repair processes and forces tumor cells to rely on ATR and PKMYT1 dependent pathways for survival, creating a vulnerability that can be selectively targeted.
"This is a breakthrough discovery," Keyomarsi said. "Rb1-deficient tumors do not respond to CDK4/6 inhibitors because they depend on Rb1 to regulate cell division. But that same deficiency makes them vulnerable to ATR and PKMYT1 inhibition. We can now identify patients who may benefit from an entirely different therapeutic strategy."
Novel targeted therapy regimens show promise in aggressive AML subtype
Read the full release | Read the study in Leukemia
Researchers identified new potential combination therapies to target high-risk MECOM-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML) – a challenging subtype of the disease. The study was led by Christine Birdwell, Ph.D., research scientist; Warren Fiskus, Ph.D. , associate professor of Leukemia ; and Kapil Bhalla, M.D. , professor of Leukemia.
"Patients with this aggressive and hard-to-treat leukemia have limited therapeutic options," Fiskus said. "Our findings provide us with a promising pathway using a combination of therapies that has shown to reduce cancer cells and increase survival."
Circadian rhythms may affect risk of bacterial infection
Read the full release | Read the study in Science Advances
In laboratory models, researchers discovered that a mother's circadian rhythms, or internal body clock, can influence the immune system states of her offspring, which can accurately predict the risk of bacterial infection. These findings offer novel insights into non-genetic factors shaping immune defenses and provide a framework to study circadian rhythms as a possible reason why some patients might be more vulnerable to getting infections during disease treatment. The study was led by Alejandro Aballay, Ph.D. , professor of Genetics and dean of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
"These findings reveal a circadian mechanism that can create significant differences in infection outcomes even when genetics and environment are similar," Aballay said. "This circadian control may help explain why patients with comparable risk profiles often experience very different responses to infection."
Researchers identify novel therapeutic target to improve recovery after nerve injury
Read the full release | Read the study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
Researchers have discovered that targeting a specific immune process could help improve recovery after nerve injury and reduce chronic pain. The study, led by Peter Grace, Ph.D. , associate professor of Symptom Research , reveals that peripheral neuropathy , which can be caused by nerve injury, reduces the ability of macrophage immune cells to clear dead or dying cells – a process called efferocytosis – and leads to chronic pain. Targeting or stimulating efferocytosis could be a viable treatment option.
"Chronic neuropathic pain after nerve injury can be debilitating for many patients," Grace said. "We're hopeful that these insights can provide meaningful clinical applications."
Targeted therapy plus immunotherapy improved outcomes in advanced metastatic colorectal cancer
Read the full release | Read the abstract
A new trial has demonstrated that combining the immunotherapy atezolizumab with standard chemotherapy (mFOLFOX6) plus the targeted therapy bevacizumab significantly improved outcomes for patients with advanced colorectal cancer compared to immunotherapy alone. The combination therapy achieved an overall response rate of 80.6%, compared with 46% in the immunotherapy-alone cohort. These results represent a promising advance in identifying new therapies for first-line care for metastatic colorectal cancer. Findings from the Phase III COMMIT trial, co-led by senior author Michael Overman, M.D. , professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology , will be presented Jan. 10 at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers (ASCO GI) Symposium .
"These trial results suggest this treatment strategy could be an important advance in first-line care for dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer," Overman said. "It reinforces the value of exploring combination approaches to unlock deeper and more durable responses."
Awards and Honors
- MD Anderson's School of Health Professions was recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board with the 2025 STAR award for strengthening the classroom to workforce pipeline.
